Bristol’s Lost Pubs

Cumberland Hotel St. Luke’s Road
The Cumberland Hotel is pictured here in the 1950s when it was a Simonds’ pub. The Cumberland was later to become a high class restaurant named the Star & Dove!

1871 – 75. William Jones
1876 – 82. James Ford
1885 – 89. Charlotte Spear
1891. William Christy
1891. George Broderick
1892 – 94. Frank Thompson
1896 – 1911. Alfred Ward
1914 – 17. F. Weight
1921 – 31. Lillian Coggins
1935 – 38. Lillian Hurford
1944. William Hurford
1950 – 53. John Patrick Clements
1956. E. Williams
1966. Cyril Beale
1966 to 1980. Stanley Edward Brown

The following information and recollections were kindly provided by Paul Brown.

My father was Stanley Edward Brown and he was the Landlord of the Cumberland Hotel in St. Lukes Road which he ran with my mother Phyllis from 3rd October 1966 until 1980. He took over from Cyril Beale who ran the pub until October 1966. I don’t know the date that Mr. Beale commenced his tenancy. Just out of interest on one of the supporting struts of the shelves in the wine store behind the bar, all previous landlords had signed their names. My father was also the president of Bristol West and Bristol South Skittles Leagues. There were ten skittles teams at the Pub and four Darts Teams, including the Super League who played in the upstairs clubroom in complete silence, so serious was the game. A great friend of my dad’s was Councillor Bert Pegler (also a keen skittler), who subsequently became Lord Mayor of Bristol. Mum and Dad dined at The Mansion House with Bert on several occasions. My father employed, as a barman, Horace Laurence (Larry) who first worked as a pot boy for William Hurford who ran the pub in 1944. He stayed on working in the pub until 1980 when my dad retired. There are lots more interesting and funny stories that we could relate about our happy times at The Cumberland.

Census 1871.

Annie Jones 40, wife married, Dorset Melbury
William Jones 14, son, North America Kingston
Thomas Jones 13, son, Dorset Melbury
Florence Jones 10, daughter scholar, Bristol
Martha Jones 8, daughter scholar, Bristol
Edgerton Jones 2, son, Bristol

Census 1881.

James Ford 42, head married, licensed victualler, Somerset Road
Matilda Ford 42, wife married, Somerset Bishops Lydeard
Elizabeth A. Ford 17, daughter unmarried, dress maker, Bristol Temple
William Ford 14, son, blacksmith, Bristol Temple
Matilda Ford 12, daughter scholar, Bristol Temple
Isaac Ford 8, son scholar, Bristol Temple
James Ford 6, son scholar, Bristol Totterdown
Florence Ford 1, daughter, Bristol Totterdown

Census 1891.

George H. Broderick 48, head married, licensed victualler, Devonport Devon
May J. Broderick 50, wife married, Devonport Devon
Emily J. Christy 26, daughter widow, assisting her father, Devonport Devon
Ethel M. Christy 3, granddaughter, Weymouth Devon

Census 1901.

Alfred Ward 53, head married, licensed victualler, Warton Warwickshire
Emma Ward 49, wife married, Anstey Warwickshire
Frank Ward 16, son single, stockbroker’s clerk, Stapenhill Staffordshire
Ethel Dale 24, servant single, general domestic servant, Paddington London

Census 1911.

Alfred Ward 64, head married, licensed victualler, Warton Warwickshire
Emma Ward 59, wife married, assisting in business, Anstey Warwickshire
Annie Louise Clifford 34, visitor single, domestic nurse, Wakefield Lancashire
Frank Clifford 26, cousin single, stockbroker’s clerk disengaged, Stapenhill Staffordshire